The English opening batter Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of statements from skipper Ben Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "weak men".
The all-rounder delivered this message in several interviews following England's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series versus Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England now face a series loss at the earliest opportunity, the captain noted he had let his message to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
But, after Crawley made 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to England suffered a loss in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.
The team afterwards went on a break to Noosa between the second and third Tests.
Prior to this match, Stokes said his players had held "honest" conversations and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to stay alive in the Ashes battle.
Yet, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from Stokes and head coach McCullum had remained in line with their previous three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, unchanged," noted Crawley. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat entering this game."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket on day four came during a decisive triple-strike by Australia spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left the chasing side six down for 207 in pursuit of a notional total of 435.
This means, the home team need four wickets on the final day to move to an unassailable three-nil advantage after three matches played.
A loss will extend the English team's drought in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in just eleven days of cricket – after England losing the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
The last time 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the destination of the urn been determined so quickly. The hosts have also won in 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"It's disappointing," said the batsman. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and now we are facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been difficult. They're a very, very good side. It was always going to be hard coming here against them. They entered as the favourites and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although the opener's innings in the third Test likely secures doubts about his short-term future in the England team, Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
Pope fell for 17 runs in England's second innings on day four, adding to his modest returns versus Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a half-century and averages 17.62.
Only one other England player since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and returned a lower average.
But, the opener said any notion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "the media" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. This is talk from the outside. There is no chat of that nature on Ollie in the camp," Crawley concluded.
